


Nomads

by AjanisApprentice



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: F/M, Post-Revelations AU
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-24
Updated: 2018-07-11
Packaged: 2019-05-27 17:25:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,284
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15029522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AjanisApprentice/pseuds/AjanisApprentice
Summary: "Our home is gone. Our people exterminated. Our allies, friends and families slain. There is no future left for us in this world. Perhaps in another world there is one."A collection of drabbles/one-shots taking place in a post-revelations AU.





	1. Wandering

**Author's Note:**

> Information on this AU can be found in the end notes. Not a lot, just some basic stuff to get you started if you want it.

**A History of Laranheim:**

**Calender and Dates:**

**While there are many different dating systems used in Laranheim, differing between races and religions, the one ‘official’ system is the Calender of the High Council, abbreviated as CHC.**

**The CHC system dates itself back to the founding of Laranheim. Marking the first ever convening of the High Council, the beginning of the year starts on the first day of the summer months. This was a lucky coincidence; the CHC uses the seasonal month method, dividing the year into twelve months with four sets of three, one set for each season. Instead of starting in the middle of a season and thus having to develop entirely new months or worse, keeping the month system but starting a year in the middle of such a system, the system is simple, starting at the beginning of the summer, ending at the end of spring.**

**In practice, one dates as follows: month, date, year. In speaking, one uses the possessive of the month then the date, followed by the year with the phrase ‘since the first convening’. As an example, as of writing this, the date is Wintereins’s fourteenth, nine-hundred and eighty nine since the first convening.**

* * *

 

**Winterdrei, 12th, 998**

There were many things Azura recalled fondly about Hoshido. One was the moderate climate, not too hot, not too cold. Very rarely did any sort of extreme weather occur, and most days it was temperate.

Azura did not like extremes and that applied even to the weather.

Which was one small reason why she was currently beside herself as she climbed a mountain in the middle of a blizzard, pulling the reins of two horses behind her. The main reason she had to do this was the man she was currently supporting on her right side, whom was currently drifting in and out of consciousness.

One of the two horses slid for a moment, and Azura felt herself getting pulled back as the horse scrambled for footing before it finally righted itself, letting out a snort which clearly showed how displeased it was with the situation as well. Azura breathed a sigh of relief; the last thing she needed right now was for one of their horses to be injured as well.

_It’s going to be alright, it’s going to be alright, it’s going to be alright._

She wasn’t entirely sure she believed that.

* * *

_Battle surrounded him, but it was all indistinct. Nothing was clear, everything was foggy. He could hear noise, but could only make out a few words._

_“-flank is being overrun-”_

_“-boxing us in-”_

_“- hold the line, hold the-”_

_Suddenly it all went dark, everything disappearing into a void. For a moment that felt like an eternity there was silence. A deep voice broke it._

_“You won_ _,_ _my son. And yet, you failed. You so utterly failed.”_

* * *

 

Corrin’s eyes flew open. He would have shot up, but his entire body ached, burned horribly and felt like lead. His eyes took in a cavern around him, lit by a flickering flame. Next to the fire was Azura, tending to the flames, making sure they stayed burning.

He tried to make a sound, but found his that his throat felt just as bad as the rest of him, and all he was able to do was make a hacking cough. That did the trick though, as Azura’s face shot up from looking at the fire and her gaze fell on him. Her eyes widened as she saw him conscious, and she quickly shuffled over to him, a waterskin in hand.

“Corrin, thank the gods!” Azura exclaimed in relief, her voice echoing inside the cavern, creating what sounded oddly to Corrin like a haunting melody. She brought the waterskin to his lips, saying “Drink this, please.”

Corrin didn’t need to be told; the white-haired man obediently opened his mouth and let Azura trickle water into it. After a moment she took the waterskin away and placed it on the ground.

“How do you feel?”

At that, Corrin couldn’t help but let out a bitter laugh that quickly turned into a hacking fit. It quickly subsided and Corrin let out a groan. “Like crap,” he answered honestly, his voice hoarse and scratchy. “Where are we?”

“Higher up the mountain we were traversing,” Azura responded. “We got lucky. There’s a blizzard currently going on, but I was able to find a cave that goes deep enough into the mountain that we won’t have to worry too much about the cold if we can keep the fire going. As for our supplies, they’re with the horses, which I tied to a stalagmite.”

“Good to hear.”

“Do you remember what happened?”

Corrin was quiet for a moment, trying to remember what had happened to put him in such a state. Rather quickly (probably a good sign) the memory came back.

* * *

_The two had been told by the Anna who guarded the gate to this realm that there was a small village due north of the gate, around a week’s journey on horse. Armed with that information, their supplies, and a bit of a background for the land they were going to arrive in as well as some information of the current situation it was in, the two had made their way towards the village._

_The first three days were uneventful, and the two traveled in mainly silence. That itself worried Azura; her lover was a talkative and friendly persona by nature in contrast to her own reserved nature. For him to be as silent as he was meant that something was deeply troubling him._

_Azura knew exactly what it was, and could find no words to comfort him. How could she when she herself was going through the same grief_ _?_ _But unlike Corrin, she at least had known the feeling of losing everything before. It wasn't something he had ever had to deal with before, and she was worried over how clearly he was shaken and broken by it._

_It was on their fourth day of travel that they had an incident. While on a path up a mountain they had been attacked. Not by men, but by something else. A hairy three-eyed creature that when standing fully erect stood slightly taller than Corrin._

_Corrin immediately jumped from his horse, slipping a silver sword from its sheath and settling into a guard position. Azura herself disembarked from her horse, trusting the animals would stay by them; they were well bred and trained specifically for battle. While neither herself nor Corrin were used to mounted combat and therefore preferred to fight on the ground, they were both certain that so long as they kept any major harm from coming to the horses that the animals wouldn’t flee._

_The creature leapt at them and the two began the dance that they had hoped to be able to put behind them to the notes of claws clanging against metal and screams of pain._

_They had fought together many times before, fought battles against intelligent foes. The creature should have fallen quickly, but it was far more resilient than they had assumed. In addition to its strength, which was clearly on par with a Faceless, the creature seemed to heal at an absurd rate. Cuts, regardless of how deep, stopped bleeding and closed as quickly as they were made. However, Azura noticed that the wounds made from her lance seemed to take longer to heal, as if the blessed magic imbued in the lance kept the creature’s regenerative properties somewhat at bay._

_“Corrin, use Yato!” Azura shouted. “However this thing is healing, it seems like my lance’s magic is delaying it! Yato should surely be even more effective!”_

_Corrin stopped for a moment, his face showing warring emotion at Azura’s words._

_It was enough. The monster slipped past Corrin’s guard and, with a savage upwards swing sunk a claw right into Corrin’s gut and tore upwards._

_Corrin had elected not to wear his armor, figuring that it would be best not to possibly draw unwanted attention to himself. A simple traveler had no right to be wearing expensive armor clearly meant for nobility. Instead, he wore a tunic, underneath which was some basic plate, meant to give him reasonable protection should any scuffles occur._

_It wasn’t enough._

_A sickening crunching and tearing sound rang out as the claw pierced first armor, then skin, then bone. Corrin momentarily stood still, before falling backwards, blood flowing from the devastating wound._

_The pain was too much, too much blood being lost far too fast. Corrin’s entire world went black._

* * *

“There was some creature, like nothing we’d seen before. We fought it, but it seemed to be healing from any wounds we gave it. You asked me to use the Yato and I… I froze up.” At that Corrin, with a great amount of effort, turned his face away from Azura, shame filling him. Rather quickly Azura placed her hand on his cheek and slowly turned his face back towards her.

“I’m sorry,” Azura said to him and, seeing confusion in his eyes, continued  “I shouldn’t have asked that of you. We were doing alright fighting that thing and while my… suggestion would have likely sped things up, I should have known better than to bring that up.” Tears began to well in her eyes and it was Azura’s turn to look away. “If it wasn’t for me, you wouldn’t be in this shape.”

“That’s not true! It was my own fault. If I had been wearing my actual armor, instead of worrying about staying less inconspicuous, I’d have been fine.” Corrin tried to get up but his abdominal muscles burned in protest and he winced and let out a sharp hiss of pain before falling back.

“That may be true, but ultimately it was my words that caused you to freeze! I knew you weren’t wearing full armor, I knew that the topic was a bad one, I should have known that you would have been distracted and should have taken into account that you weren’t fully protected!”

For a moment neither spoke. Azura in shame, Corrin because while he wanted to refute her claims and ease her guilt, he found that he simply couldn’t.

Eventually Azura spoke again. “After that thing tore into you, I lost all my composure. I lashed out quickly, just trying to kill the thing. We got lucky that I seemed to surprise it, and even luckier that I somehow was able to stab it clean through the throat, which seemed to kill it instantly. After that I rushed to try and heal you as best as I could. Corrin, I- there was just so much blood and you were so so pale. I wasn’t even sure…” Azura stopped there, finding that she couldn’t finish the thought. After a moment of breathing she continued. “I had to dip into our stock of potions, it was that bad. Luckily I was able to stabilize you, though the wound got infected.”

“That would certainly explain why I feel like I’m burning from the inside out right now,” Corrin said. Azura nodded.

“You came down with fever, and were out for quite a while. I’ve been doing my best to manage it for the past day and a half. You’re no longer mumbling incoherently when you’re awake and you’re clearly cognizant, so that’s likely a good sign.”

“Gods I hope so, I do not want to think about what feeling worse than I do right now feels like,” Corrin said, trying to inject a little bit of humor into the conversation. However, it seemed to have the opposite effect as Azura frowned.

“It’s that bad?” she asked.

Corrin sighed. “Yeah,” he responded before another hacking fit overtook him. As it subsided, Azura helped him drink a little more.

“I’m going to try and make a broth with what we have; I doubt you could handle solid foods right now.”

“I won’t argue with that,” Corrin said, leaning back as Azura started walking further into the cave, likely to get supplies from where she left them. “I think I’m going to go back to sleep.”

“A good idea. I’ll wake you again when the food is ready.”

* * *

 

_Corrin finds himself standing in a foggy plain. Scanning the area, he makes out a small light amongst the gloom and walks towards it. As he gets closer he’s able to make out a campfire and a figure tending to the flames._

_Corrin can tell that whoever it is is tall; sitting hunched they still are rather large. They wear a white-beige tunic with a matching colored hood up, placing the figure’s face in shadow. However, as he gets closer he can see blue locks falling from the hood and their lower face was revealed, though the upper face from above the nose is still cast in shadow._

_“I’ve been expecting you,” says the figure, the voice eerily reminding Corrin of his own. “Please sit.”_

_Corrin does so, seeing no reason why he shouldn’t. Wherever he is, he isn’t physically there, and it’s highly unlikely whoever this is can actually hurt him. Besides, he has questions he wants answered._

_“Where am I?”_

_The man smiles softly. “Somewhere between dreams and reality,” is the reply. “While this isn’t the material plane, it isn’t some fictional dream either. Here, I can communicate with you freely, though time is limited.”_

_“And you are?”_

_The man’s smile disappears at that and for a moment he’s silent. Finally, his mouth sets itself into a firm line and he says “You can call me Hydra.”_

_Corrin stares at him for a moment, taking in the information. It itself isn’t too crazy, not considering what he’s been through. Rather, he’s mulling over the fact that this man is familiar for some reason. Obviously the man’s voice would make him think that, but it’s more than the two sharing a voice. Something deep inside tells him he knows this man, in an incredibly intimate way but he has no idea why._

_Deciding to let the matter rest for now, Corrin decides to continue his questions. “Why have you been waiting for me?”_

_“To explain the situation you are currently in.” The reply is firm as is the man’s voice. “You and your lover are in an interesting situation. While not perilous, the situation is volatile._

_“Both of you contain blood of the First Dragons of your world, you in particular considering your heritage. While that isn’t enough to get the higher powers of this realm upset, it does have them on edge. You must tread carefully, to make sure not to anger them or make yourselves seem like a threat. In particular-” The man stops suddenly, before sighing audibly._

_“My time is up for now. I must leave.” Before Corrin can say anything the man is gone and his vision fades to black._

* * *

Corrin blinked his eyes open and the smell of a beef broth made his mouth water. He also felt cooler, likely signifying that his fever was beginning to break.

Scanning the area he couldn't see Azura close by; she was likely further in the cavern with their horses and supplies. Grimacing, Corrin slowly tried to stand but halfway up his legs and arms gave out and he fell to the ground, letting out a yelp of pain as he hit the ground. His vision swam and he heard footsteps.

When his vision finally settled, he saw Azura looking over him, worry clear in her eyes,

“Corrin, are you-”

“I'm fine,” he responded, his voice undercut with pain. “Tried to get up, but I seem to still be a bit too weak to stand.”

Azura frowned but didn't rebuke him. Instead she walked over to the fire and began to ladle broth into a bowl. As she returned to Corrin’s side she asked “Do you think you can feed yourself?”

“I should be fine.” With his confirmation, Azura handed him the bowl, a spoon already inside with the broth.

As he ate, Azura watched him like a hawk, ready to intervene if necessary. There was no need; while he felt weak, Corrin wasn't so drained that he couldn't eat. As he returned the bowl to Azura, he took a moment to take a good look at her. She clearly wasn't doing well; her gold eyes were dull and had dark circles underneath and she moved slowly without any feeling.

“Azura, have you slept at all since the attack?”

Azura winced visibly at that. “No,” she answered honestly.

Corrin sighed. “Azura, you need-”

“Corrin, I can’t. You aren’t up to keeping watch. What happens if something comes in and attacks?”

“Then at least you’ll have been rested and be better prepared to fight,” Corrin responded quickly. “Azura, please. You need your rest.”

For a moment, Azura was silent. Then she sagged and walked over to Corrin. “Promise me you’ll wake me up if anything happens,” she said as she lay down next to him on their bedroll.

Corrin nodded. “I promise. Now get some rest.”

 

 

 

**EDIT NOTES: July 1, 2018: Edited chapter to clear any quandaries there may be about Corrin's armor and why it didn't stop the attack.**

**July 5, 2018: Added a few paragraphs at the beginning, giving some background information for the world.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Re; Laranheim: Laranheim is the name of the country Corrin and Azura have ended up in. The name uses the elvish word Laran (from D&D if my information is correct), meaning regal and the german word Heim (from the real world if my information is correct) meaning home. Home of the Regal as it were. As for the world, it will get a name. Someday.
> 
> Re; month names: The month names are named after the season, with the german word for one, two or three added on at the end. For example, the date given here is Winterdrei, or Winter Three, the third and final month of winter.


	2. Bargain

**Monster Compendium:**

**The Frost Troll:**

**A subspecies of the infamous trolls, Frost Trolls are very similar to their more common cousins in appearance. The most notable difference is their coat, which is a grayish white as opposed to the blackish brown of a normal troll. They are also slightly larger, about half a foot to a foot on average. The largest can grow to be ten feet tall, in comparison to their kin which very rarely exceed eight feet.**

**Frost Trolls are known to be much tougher than their cousins, capable of tanking blows that their normal cousins find jarring. Their strength is also greater, and they are easily capable of tearing through most armor. They are slower however, which of course helps with the best strategy one can have when facing a troll: running as fast as your legs can carry you. If you are forced to fight one (or feel gutsy enough to do so willingly) fire is once again your best option; just like its cousin, it can’t regenerate from damage done by fire, and the damage done is enormous. Even more so in a Frost Troll’s case, as they have extra fat to stay warm in the cold climates which is just as flammable as a normal troll’s.**

**Frost Trolls tend to reside in frigid climates, especially on mountain tops. They are strictly carnivores and are very territorial. If you see bones on a mountain trail, be wary or, better yet, turn back.**

**Frost Troll fat is valuable as a fuel source, as it tends to burn for long periods of time, even longer than a regular troll’s. Their claws are sharp enough to pierce armor, as mentioned above, and are valued as materials for weapons. Their fur is valued greatly, and many highborn and well-off groups like nobles and merchants tend to use it as lining for coats. Frost Troll meat is considered a delicacy to some, though must be cooked carefully in order to be edible. It takes a while to become cooked, and very quickly afterwards can become overcooked. Eaten raw, it can easily cause food-poisoning.**

* * *

  **Winterdrei, 15th, 998**

"I can’t believe you brought that thing with us.”

Azura rolled her eyes. It had been three days since the attack; Corrin’s fever had completely broke during the second day (the two guessed it was likely the quick administrations of potions on Azura’s part as well as Corrin’s draconian physiology that were the reasons for such a quick recovery) and after a day to regain his strength, Corrin felt ready to travel.

“Really. Now you bring it up?”

“I’ve been too busy trying to figure out a way to bring it up tactfully-”

“And that’s the best you could come up with?”

“I gave up and decided to be blunt.”

To Corrin’s utter shock, he had found that Azura had decided to drag along the carcass of the creature that had attacked them, even making a little ‘sled’ of sorts with some spare materials they had so as not to drag the thing directly on the ground. The half-dragon had tried his best to figure out why, but, whether it was because he was still getting over being ill or simply because he was unimaginative at the moment, he could come up with nothing. Sure, they could probably have used the creature’s fur or claws, but why drag the whole carcass?

“Neither of us know what this thing is and our current weapons are less than efficient at scavenging. I figured it’d be best to simply bring it to the village and see if we can get some information on it as well as try and sell it.”

Corrin nodded. Their weapons weren’t exactly suitable for precision carving and they could very well lose any opportunity to sell this creature’s fur if they decided to try and skin it themselves.

“Fair enough.”The Anna at this world’s gate clearly had underestimated their horses’ abilities. Even with the extra load, Corrin and Azura found themselves arriving at the village towards the evening of the day they set off from the cavern they had taken refuge in, two days sooner than expected.

* * *

 

They quickly found the village tavern; it was the largest building in the village with a sign simply saying ‘Inn' on it.

Azura led the horses to the little stable on the side while Corrin unfastened their little sled and slung the creature over his shoulders. As soon as Azura had given each if the animals an apple for a job well done with the promise for more food as soon as they settled things inside (which Corrin couldn't help but think the horses understood with their answering nicker while a spark seemed to shine in their eyes) the two entered the tavern, a bell giving off a ring as they entered.

The tavern keeper, a large beefy man who seemed to be in his late forties judging by the white flaking his red hair and beard, looked up at the two and immediately did a double take.

“What in the hells?!” he cried out, his deep gravelly voice loud in the silent tavern.

“Hello to you too,” Corrin said back, a little miffed with the welcome, though he did suppose he understood where the man was coming from. He would likely be surprised by two people walking into his place of business carrying a carcass of some monster on their back. “We were hoping for a few things, starting with if you could identify the creature I'm lugging around. We’re not from around here and we were hoping someone would know what this thing was. Judging from your reaction I assume you might have an idea what it is?”

“Oh I know alright,” the man said gravely, glaring at the carcass. “You folks certainly aren’t from around here if you don't know a Frost Troll when you see one.”

At Corrin and Azura’s confused looks, the tavern keeper rolled his eyes. “Yup, definitely foreigners.”

“Is that an issue?” Azura asked, steel in her tone.

“Not really,” the man shrugged as he responded. “We just don't get many foreigners. Travelers, sure, but not foreigners.”  

“That’s good. Now about this Frost Troll, what can you tell us about it?”

“Nothing you don’t likely already know,” The tavern keeper responded to Corrin. “The things are strong and resilient. Pretty territorial, unlike their cousins, plain ol’ trolls. The damn things also heal from wounds easily. Only thing that they can't heal from is… fire.” Suddenly the man glared fiercely at them. Corrin could feel a chill go down his spine as the man continued “How exactly did you kill the thing? I see no burn burn marks anywhere on it. Awfully suspicious if you ask me.”

“Does it matter?” Azura asked, her voice harsh, her gaze cold and boring into the tavern keeper. To his credit, the man didn’t flinch. “We killed it and would like to know if it’s worth anything.”

For a moment the tavern keeper held Azura’s gaze steadily, though Corrin could see warring emotions in his eyes. Finally something gave and the man relaxed slightly. “It is. Fur is definitely valuable, ‘specially in places like these. Add the fact that their claws and teeth work well for making tools and that their fat is useful for making oil and candles and you could definitely find someone willing to pay some gold for it. I myself wouldn’t be adverse to buying it.”

Corrin let out a sigh of relief. “Excellent,” the half-dragon said, a small smile on his face. “How much would you be willing to buy it for?”

The tavern keeper mulled it over for a moment. “Ten gold.”

Before either Corrin or Azura could respond to the offer, a voice was heard from the side. “Now wait a moment. I think that’s a bit too little honestly.”

Were it not for the descriptions of the various races of this world the Anna had given them, Corrin and Azura likely would have immediately drawn their weapons when they saw the owner of the voice. Still, Azura could not help but widen her eyes in surprise whilst Corrin found his hand moving towards his sheathed silver sword anyway.

The speaker was unlike any person from their world. His skin was a deep red, close to crimson and his eyes were copper in color. He had a mullet of black hair behind two large horns which were reminiscent of a gazelle’s. A tail lashed out from under his clothes, tipped with a sharp point at the end. His clothes themselves were a simple black hooded cloak over a faded grey tunic and black pants. He wore no shoes for he had no need, not with the hooves he had where feet would normally be.

 _A Tiefling._ The name of the race flashed through Corrin’s mind, along with some of the basic information Anna had given him and Azura. None if this did anything to put Corrin at ease, especially with the calculating shrewdness in the Tiefling’s eyes.

The tavern keeper didn't seem particularly pleased either; the man frowned deeply and glared at the Tiefling. “And what do you care?” he asked, his voice radiating displeasure, distrust and even some disgust. “You've already paid for your meal. What more do you need?”

“I simply don't wish to see these fine people lose out on what they deserve,” said the Tiefling, though no one believed him. “Honestly, for an entire Frost Troll, I think fifty gold would be more reasonable a price.”

“Fifty gold?!” the tavern keeper shouted, his eyes bulging while his entire face went red. “Are you out of your mind? I can't afford that!”

“Let's think about this for a moment,” responded the Tiefling, a smirk appearing on his face. “This is an entire Frost Troll. Claws, teeth, pelt, skin, fat. There's a lot you can do with all that. You could even cook the meat if that’s something you like. I'm sure you can understand why that would be the package deal.

“Still, I can understand why someone out here might find fifty gold a bit much. Perhaps forty sounds more fair?”

At this point neither the Tiefling nor the Tavern Keeper seemed to remember that Corrin and Azura were even there. Neither one decided to remind them, finding themselves interested in the haggling.

“I can do twenty, but that’s it.”

The Tiefling pursed his lips before grinning. “Twenty-five with free meal and board for the night and tomorrow morning.”

For a moment the tavern keeper mulled it over before sagging a bit. “Fine, twenty-five it is,” he agreed, handing over the gold to Corrin as the half-dragon gave him the Frost Troll. “I’ll get you folks something to eat shortly.”

“Something for our horses as well,” Azura added. The tavern keeper simply grunted his affirmation.

As he turned away, the Tiefling put his arms around Corrin and Azura’s shoulders. “Well, I think that went well. Perhaps you two could join me as you eat? I would so enjoy the company.”

* * *

 

The three sat in silence, the Tiefling seemingly comfortable with it. Finally, after checking to make sure the tavern keeper was busy preparing the food and not listening, Azura spoke.

“What are you playing at?”

The Tiefling looked up at her from his stew, an eyebrow raised. “Excuse me?”

“Don't play the fool,” Azura said, her tone clearly indicating her impatience. “There was no reason for you to step in back there, less you get some sort of joy from causing that tavern keeper grief-”

“That's always a possibility, lady,” the Tiefling interrupted, a twisted grin on his face.

“- and I refuse to believe it was at all altruistic. What is your endgame here?”

The Tiefling grinned, likely knowing just how off putting it was, considering how his canines made him look like some sort of predator. “You know lady, I would think one would be more gracious towards the man who just negotiated for them without any prompting or knowledge of each other beforehand.”

“Of course we're gracious.” Corrin slipped his hand through hers underneath the table and squeezed it as he took over speaking. “And I apologize if my companion seems not to be.” (Azura had to put in a great deal of effort to keep herself from turning to Corrin and glaring.) ”It's simply that we've been through quite a lot recently and we're both a little on edge. It's not easy for us to accept anything at face value at the moment.”

The Tiefling’s smile became less predatorial and more genuine. “You are quite the diplomat, aren't you?,” he said, nodding slightly. “I can certainly understand a bit of paranoia, and I appreciate the gratitude.” With that the Tiefling stuck his hand out. “Name is Carrion.”

Corrin took the offered hand. “Corrin Rheos. My companion is Azura Rheos.”

Azura nodded at the Tiefling, though her facial expression stayed wary. Carrion nodded back, a smirk on his face.

“Same surname, eh? Married or family?”

“Former. Or, well, will be eventually,” Corrin answered back, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

“I see. If you don't mind me asking, where are you headed from here?”

“We’re headed north to a city called Moonskeep.”

Azura mentally groaned. She loved Corrin dearly, but his openness, while often refreshing, could at times be infuriating and possibly outright dangerous. Giving a stranger travel information like that could easily come back to bite them.

 _Nothing to do now about that,_ the pragmatic voice of reason in her head said. _Right now focus on regaining control of the conversation before you lose even more control._

To that end, Azura spoke up. “If you don't mind, you still haven't quite explained yourself.”

Carrion’s smirk grew. “You need to work on your diplomacy skills,” he said to her. Azura felt her face heat up, both in embarrassment and annoyance. Before she could respond, Carrion continued, “However, you do have a point. I probably should explain myself.

“I won't lie, I had ulterior motives for my actions. And no, it wasn't simply to see the tavernkeep choke, though I will admit, that was a nice side benefit.

“See, you two clearly don't know, but Frost Trolls aren't simple kills, certainly not without using fire. It's rather impressive actually that the two of you managed to survive.

“Now, I've been traveling on my own for a while and the lands here can get treacherous. I haven't been accosted by anything I couldn't handle yet, but I don't trust that luck to last. What I want is to travel with the two of you.”

Azura could feel Corrin clench her hand as he tensed up in surprise.

“Why should we trust you?” Azura asked, her golden eyes narrowed dangerously. “You're a man we only just met, and we have no reason to accept to do such a thing. Oh sure, you may have helped us get a better price, but that is nowhere near enough to earn trust, especially when no one else is around.”

As she finished speaking, footsteps were heard and the tavern keeper came into view. “Your food,” he said simply, placing three bowls of stew, some bread and three tankards of what smelled like some cheap ale in front of them.

Once they began eating, and the tavern keeper had gotten out of earshot, Carrion responded. “You're smart to be suspicious, like I said before. After all, you know no one here and these parts are foreign; a healthy amount of paranoia keeps one alive.

“That being said, one shouldn’t forget that there is safety in numbers. Don't think I didn't notice how Corrin keeps wincing whenever he moves.”

“How-”

Carrion cut off Corrin’s shocked gasp with a wave. “I grew up on the streets. You learn to notice everything if you want to live.

“Point is, you two may have taken down the troll, but clearly didn't do it unscathed. Having more people with you not only helps, it saves lives.”

At that Azura mentally winced. Images began to flood her mind; the wound in Corrin’s gut, all the blood flowing out, carrying Corrin’s limp body through a blizzard, Corrin in bed with fever. All of which could have been avoided if she hadn't been so damn hasty. And if they had had another traveler, she probably wouldn't have been.

Oblivious to Azura’s internal struggle, Carrion continued. “Besides, it's clear that you two don't know much about this land. It would be beneficial to have a guide of sorts, someone to explain the creatures and people of this place.”

Corrin turned to Azura and she could see a conflict in his eyes. “Can you give us a moment to talk?” she asked Carrion. The Tielfing nodded and,stepped away.

* * *

 

As soon as she was certain Carrion was out of earshot, Azura turned to Corrin and spoke. “I know that look in your eye. You’re considering it.”

Corrin nodded. “I am, yes. I know, we know nothing about him, but he makes good points. We don’t know much about the land, nor the creatures that live here; Anna barely gave us information on the sentient races and political situation, and next to nothing on the creatures. We could definitely use a guide. And he isn’t wrong, it would be helpful to have someone to help us fight. Certainly would have helped against the troll.”

Azura tried to stay stoic, but once more found herself flinching at the mention of the Frost Troll. Corrin saw this and the realization of what exactly he said hit him. “Gods Azura, I’m sorry. I didn't mean-”

“It's fine, I know you meant nothing by it.” The words slipped out easily, to Azura’s surprise. Sure, it wasn't an outright lie; she knew exactly what Corrin meant and bore him no resentment. He could not have known that she had yet to forgive herself for her folly during the attack, and neither could he have known the way his words would impact her. Still, she felt pain and anger aimed at herself as she remembered the troll's attack and her mistake there.

Likely it was that minor self-loathing that caused her to say “I agree with you, we could probably use the help.” Inwardly she grimaced at this, worried that Corrin would take her words to mean she didn't have faith in him, while it was herself whom she couldn't entirely trust at the moment. Luckily, it seemed that Corrin didn't take it as an affront, as he simply smiled.

“Good, in that case-” he began, but Azura held up a hand and he stopped speaking,

“However, something I must point out. Last time we had a guide, it did not end well,” Azura said. Seeing Corrin’s face fall, Azura quickly added “I do not hold what happened with Anthony against you. However, I refuse to allow a similar scenario to happen again.”

“The thought did enter my mind,” Corrin said. “Don't think I have forgotten. However, the case here is different. We have no enemies here, and we're not out trying to attack anyone. It's not like Carrion is some sort of agent for someone, and I highly doubt that if he had any fantastical powers and was one to abuse them, that he would have come to a tavern and paid for a meal. And if he's just some highwayman, well I think we could take him.”

“You have valid points, and I have no doubt we could subdue him should it be necessary,” Azura admitted. “I simply wish for it not to be. To that end, I suggest we make a few guidelines as to how this will work.”

* * *

 

Carrion watched the two foreigners from half-closed eyes. The two were likely discussing his offer, which was fine. Showed they weren't naive fools. Well, at least the lady wasn't. The man was still up in the air in the regard.

They were doing a good job at keeping quiet; they had gone far enough away and were speaking low enough that not even he could hear them, regardless of his experience with eavesdropping.

Not that he was trying to. No, Carrion was busy taking in their appearances and body language, trying to get a picture of who he was dealing with.

He was certain they weren't dangerous, at least without provocation (something the troll certainly learned the hard way). He wouldn't have extended his offer if he felt they were a threat to his safety. A group of two who could kill a frost troll without fire and were less than scrupulous would come into a village like this and proceed to rob it. They’d be able to in a backwater place like this, with no real militia outside of a handful of guards who were likely ill-trained (and currently equally likely to be drunk or just carousing in their small barracks, considering the two had somehow gotten the troll all the way to the inn without causing a commotion).

No, he wasn’t worried for his safety, Carrion was simply curious as to who these people were. Foreigners, as that tavernkeep blatantly pointed out, that much was obvious. And it wasn’t just their lack of knowledge of the native fauna that clued him in on that one.

Their clothes were like none that he’d ever seen before. The man wore light grey, with platinum highlights running throughout it. The armor itself seemed to be made up of plates, each plate fitting together tightly with no visible openings. The legs and arms were much the same, though clearly the armor there was made to be able to be moved by the joints. Platinum pauldrons covered his shoulders.

The woman however wore no visible armor. She instead wore a white dress with light blue straps circling it, holding it close to her body. One leg was covered in a white legging, the other in a clear one. Covering the back of her head was a simple headscarf.

(Neither of the two wore any footwear. Carrion decided to ignore that.)

Clearly the armor and clothes were of fine make. Carrion may have been a simple rogue, but he had a good eye for valuables and could easily tell that whatever they had was expensive.

Possibilities of their backgrounds swirled in his mind, though none seemed to make much sense. Foreign nobility? It would explain the clothes, but why than were they traveling alone? Wealthy merchants of some sort? Couldn't be, they wouldn't have tried to sell the Frost Troll here if they were. Well-off mercenaries? Why would the woman not be wearing armor?

Carrion cut off his train of thought as Corrin and Azura walked over to him, clearly done with their conversation. “We've decided to take you up on your offer,” Azura began. “However, only under certain conditions.

“First, no going off on your own; we want to know where you are at all times. Second, you will ride up in front, assuming you have your own horse. If you don't you'll ride with Corrin, sitting in front of him. Finally, the watches will be divided so there are two people watching at once.”

Carrion frowned at that. “You really don't have any faith in me, do you Miss Azura?” No response came, not that he expected any.

Making a show of mulling over the terms (which he was honestly fine with) for a few moments, Carrion finally spoke. “Very well, I'll agree, even if the way you setup the watches means less sleep for all of us.”

“We can always catch up while riding,” Corrin, said quickly.

“True,” Carrion agreed. His face took on a serious look. “That being said, I have one small condition of my own.”

“What is it?”

Carrion’s face broke into a full blown smirk at Corrin’s expected question. “No fooling around together on the road. I won't be getting much sleep anyway, I have no desire for it to be further decreased by having to hear the sounds of you two going at it.”

Just because Carrion expected the two to get embarrassed didn't lessen the enjoyment he got from seeing it. Corrin’s face turned completely scarlet and he began to sputter, and while Azura’s didn't turn nearly as red, the sheer fury on her face was priceless.  

“Fine,” Azura finally bit out, picking up her food and walking to the tavern keeper immediately after, likely to ask where the room the two would be staying in was, so as not to have to stay in the Tiefling’s presence.

As Corrin continued to sputter, one thought crossed Carrion’s mind.

_This will be fun._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Re; the Frost Troll: While some of you may have guessed what this was at from the last chapter, it is now revealed to be a Frost Troll. Specifically, this frost troll is based on the Frost Trolls from Skyrim. In this world, all trolls are based off the Skyrim trolls, so while they do regenerate, it isn't as crazy as D&D trolls.
> 
> Re; currency: I'm using D&D currency values here. I'm pretty sure for some backwater village, ten gold is a decent sum of money.
> 
> Re; Rheos: The idea for Rheos as a surname is not mine, rather I got it from the lovely TheApocryphalOne. She did research for the name in their Corrin/Azura fic, Fire Emblem Fates: Aftermath, and there is a significance behind it. If you haven't read Aftermath, you should, along with her other works. She has also written for Danganronpa and Star Wars. Please, check out her stories, she is an amazing author and deserves immense support.
> 
> Re; Corrin’s armor: First, I reworked the last chapter to show clearly that Corrin wasn't wearing his armor at the time of the Frost Troll attack. Second, Corrin decided screw subtlety; after an attack like that he was wearing his armor full time. Arguably what he should have been doing at first, but I didn't want the armor being destroyed and needed him injured. Hope my reason was decent enough. Third, the design of this armor is neither Hoshidan or Nohr noble. This is my take on a Valla Noble class, which I've seen many other takes on around the web. The basic idea is a grey and platinum motif, while the make of the armor itself is reminiscent of dragon's scales, as Valla had a closer connection to Anankos than Nohr and Hoshido did to the Dusk and Dawn dragons.


	3. Refusal

**Monster Compendium:**

**The Owlbear:**

**An experiment gone wrong centuries ago done by a wizard who was clearly not right in the head. A natural creature, known by elves for millenia. The origins of the Owlbear are debated, but while the beginnings of the creature may lie in mystery, information on the creature is very well known and agreed upon.**

**Owlbears, like the name clearly denotes, are a mixture of beast and bird. With the body and head the size of a bear, while having the face of an owl, Owlbears seem to have the best traits of both creatures. Their claws are razor sharp and their beaks are just as dangerous. Their strength allows them to fell trees should they feel like it. With eyes of an owl, and nose of a bear, the Owlbear will know if you are in its territory. And it will not be pleased.**

**Owlbears are notorious for their vicious temperament. They will attack anything and everything they meet, regardless of the opponent. Even predators higher up on the food chain try to avoid them, as they know the Owlbear will attack with no regard for itself and most creatures would rather avoid such an encounter, even if they would make it out alive.**

**Native to forests, Owlbears tend to live in small packs, just like regular bears. This increases the danger they already present; one Owlbear is not to be underestimated but is somewhat manageable while a pack is a death sentence.**

* * *

 

**Winterdrei, 19th, 998**

As he fired his crossbow, Carrion could not help but wonder if his idea to travel with Corrin and Azura was a smart one.

Oh sure, the horses were helpful, cutting what would have been around a two week journey to roughly half that and it was nice to be able to sleep at a set time every night instead of whenever he felt he could afford it and was hidden enough. Plus, both his companions were decent chefs, certainly better than himself. Actual cooked food was always a blessing.

However, all that meant nothing if they wouldn’t survive the journey. And the unfamiliarity his traveling companions had with the environment and the creatures in it was making that a distinct possibility.

The three had been traveling through a forest, sticking to a path just fine. As night fell, the three set up camp in a small clearing. Corrin and Azura decided to take first watch, and Carrion went to bed.

In retrospect, he should have realized it sooner. Likely the better traveling conditions had lulled him, a mistake Carrion promised himself he wouldn't repeat (assuming he survived). The signs were everywhere. Scattered bones seemingly belonging to anything from mice to elk, the smell of carrion (Ha!) everywhere, and Carrion now recalled that as the sun went down he heard hooting.

Yes he should have realized it sooner. Instead he woke to the sound of loud hooting and Corrin yelling “We have company!”

And now here he was, providing ranged support as his two companions each took on one Owlbear each. 

As he loaded another bolt into his crossbow, Carrion quickly surveyed the area. The Tiefling had to admit, these people knew how to fight. Azura battled her Owlbear with precision strikes, darting back and forth, nimbly dodging the Owlbear’s blows as if she were dancing. Meanwhile Corrin battled the Owlbear head-on, slashing and stabbing with his silver sword, parrying blows coming from the monster with nothing but his own strength.

Perhaps he needn’t be so worried. With fighters like these, maybe he could risk being slightly relaxed, so long as they stayed on the same side.

Though he couldn’t help but wonder what they had gone through to make them such formidable warriors.

* * *

With one last weave, Azura danced around the Owlbear’s claws and, with a thrust of her Blessed Lance, the songstress speared the Owlbear. Her aim held true and the lance sunk into the creature’s face, right above the beak. With one last pained squawk, the Owlbear fell, its eyes slowly going dull. 

After waiting a moment to make sure it was dead, Azura turned and readied her lance, prepared to help Corrin. There was no need however as, with a vicious slash, Corrin opened a large gash going from the Owlbear's side down onto its underbelly. Already weakened from his past blows and multiple crossbow bolts embedded in its body, the Owlbear fell, letting out a few pained squawks before it too quieted and went limp.

“You alright?” Azura asked, walking over to Corrin who had taken a knee. He looked up at her and she saw blood trickling from a cut on his forehead.

“I'm alright. Thing managed to get a light scratch in but otherwise I'm fine.” 

Azura nodded. “I'll get you some gauze,” she said, walking over to their supplies which were placed next to the horses. As she picked up a medical kit, she patted the horses and gave them words of thanks for staying calm throughout the attack. The animals answered with a whiny and snort, nuzzling their faces into her touch as she stroked them quickly, before walking over to Corrin.

“Got to say, I'm impressed. Knew you two had to be good fighters if you took down that frost troll, but seeing you fight myself, well that's something else entirely.” Azura turned to Carrion as she finished applying the gauze to Corrin’s cut. The Tiefling had a look of genuine respect on his face, something she found somewhat surprising. Perhaps it was just her cynical personality or the fact that she and Carrion hadn't started off on the right foot, but whenever the Tiefling showed genuine positive emotion towards them she found herself a bit taken aback. 

“Thank you,” Azura decided to respond. Nothing major, but she felt that perhaps she should start being more cordial towards Carrion. Sure he could be annoying, but so could Niles and Azama, and they had been good allies. While she had never been close to them, she at least had been amicable.

“I’m going to go and see if I can scavenge anything from them. We’ll split it later.” Azura narrowed her eyes at that last bit but held her tongue. Carrion had helped them fight, he had every right to some of the spoils. Though she made a mental note to make sure it was a fair split. Sure, Carrion wasn’t too bad, but Azura clearly remembered his glib tongue and penchant for deal-making he used with the tavern keeper. She may be warming up to him, but she wasn’t sure she trusted him yet in regards to money.

“If you don’t mind me asking, what exactly were they?” Corrin asked what Azura herself had been wondering and was about to bring up. 

“Owlbears,” Carrion responded as he sat himself down and began to work.  “Nasty creatures. The damn things attack everything that isn't another one of them. Normally there are more than just two to a pack, but if we haven't seen anymore yet, then we're good. Others would have shown up a while ago if there were anymore.”

“If we’re safe, mind if I head to rest? I know you were sleeping before, but it was nearly time for us to wake you anyway when the Owlbears attacked and-”

“It's fine. Gonna be up working on getting what I can from these things anyway,” Carrion said.

Corrin nodded at that before turning to Azura. “Do you mind? I don't mind if you want to sleep first.”

Azura shook her head and smiled as she placed a hand on Corrin cheek. “Sleep well,” she told him, kissing him softly and quickly. 

Corrin smiled gratefully. “Thank you.”

* * *

_ Corrin finds himself once more by a campfire, seated opposite Hydra. _

_ “Finally,” Hydra huffs, his voice carrying impatience. “About time I reached you.” _

_ “I'm sorry.” Corrin's response isn't exactly sarcastic, but it isn't entirely meant either. If Hydra can tell though, he gives no indication. _

_ “Don't be, at least not about the communication issues.”  _

_ Corrin narrows his eyes at that. “That makes it sound like there is something I should be sorry about.” _

_ Hydra lets out a soft snort. “Not towards me, but towards yourself and your lover,” the hooded man says, his voice carrying rebuke. “You shouldn't have gone ahead and trusted that Tiefling.”  _

_ “And why not?” Corrin is certain he knows the answer, but asks anyway. _

_ “Where to start?” Hydra’s voice clearly conveys his annoyance, close to anger actually. “The fact that he’s clearly a rogue? The fact that he’s a Tiefling, a feral one at that?!” _

_ “Feral Tiefling?” _

 

_ Hydra sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. “A Feral Tiefling,” he begins going slowly, likely so as not to accidentally raise his voice in anger, though it has the side-effect of making him sound like he's talking to a child. Corrin cares not for the patronizing tone. “Is a type of Tiefling that are known to be more devious and dangerous than even regular ones. They’re predisposed towards manipulation and deceit-” _

_ “Predisposed,” Corrin interrupts, his face slowly contorting in anger. “You mean the same way I’m predisposed towards violence, towards rage due to my draconian heritage? The same way I’m predisposed towards madness like my father?” _

_ Hydra shifts back, the frown on his face going from anger to nervousness. “That-” _

_ “Is entirely the same thing,” Corrin once more interrupts. “And just like Azura and I have taken precautions to control my draconian urges so to did we take precautions with this man. Never once have we let him guard on his own, and he rides with me, sitting directly in front so he can’t do anything like slip a knife between my ribs.  _

_ “Despite all this, which I know would be unreasonable to most, he has agreed to these terms. He has not asked for anything from us, he has not betrayed us. I see no reason to resign my trust at the moment.” _

_ Hydra grumbles, clearly angry with the situation but says nothing more on the topic of Carrion. Instead, he says “And what of your refusal to use your birthright?” _

_ Corrin scoffs. “If you think I’m going to go and turn into a dragon without being reasonably certain that no one would freak out and decide to attack me, than you’re crazy.” _

_ “That is not what I meant, though I will say that there is less likely to be an issue were you to do it in this world than were you to do it in your home world. Certain practitioners of magic are known to be able to transform into beasts and back at will. _

_ “No, what I meant was your blade, the Yato-no-kami.” _

_ Corrin goes rigid, his eyes narrowing into slits. His hands curl into fists and begin to shake. He is certain he is clenching them so tightly that were this real his nails would have pierced his palms and he would have drawn blood. _

_ “Let me ask you something,” Corrin says, his voice shaking, barely able to control his fury. “You know a lot about my world and past. You know what the Yato is, you know it’s my birthright. You know Azura and I share the blood of the first dragons, and while you have not outright said it, I can tell you know who my father was. So tell me, knowing all this, are you still ignorant of the reason myself and Azura are here?” _

_ “Of course not-” _

_ “Than you know exactly why I choose not to use that blade. I failed.” _

_ “Did you? You defeated Anankos, did you not? His threat is gone-” _

_ “And what does that matter?!” Corrin shouts, his eyes blazing with fury. “What does it matter that he’s dead? I failed to stop him before everyone else was killed! My families, my friends, they’re all dead! It doesn’t even help that he’s dead! The royalty of each nation is gone, and so is any chance of peace between Hoshido and Nohr! The war will continue, more and more will die!  I couldn’t stop anything.” _

_ A disapproving frown appears on Hydra’s face. “You truly think so little of yourself?” _

_ “Of course.” Corrin closes his eyes, feeling tears starting to trickle down. “I couldn’t save the ones I loved. I couldn’t even save Azura. The only reason she’s alive is because that monster decided to spare her. All because he felt I deserved some sort of ‘consolation prize’ as he called it.” _

_ Hydra stares at him for a moment, or at least Corrin assumes he does, not being able to see his eyes. Finally he shakes his head. “You are wrong. You may not have been able to stop Anankos from causing the war between Hoshido and Nohr, but the world itself was saved. Other nations, other people. A whole world’s inhabitants. Does that mean nothing?” _

_ “It may not mean nothing, but it isn’t good enough for me.” Corrin looks down, refusing to look at Hydra. “My families, my friends. I couldn’t save them. It matters not to me if I saved others. I failed those who mattered most. I do not deserve to wield that blade.” _

_ For a moment the silence is held. Hydra is the one to break it. _

_ “Wallow in your self-pity all you want,” he says, his voice firm and carrying disappointment. “But you will someday find yourself in a situation where that blade will be your only hope. For the sake of those around you, if not for your own, I hope you make the right decision.” _

_ Before Corrin can respond, a fog sets in and his vision is obscured. _

_ Everything goes black. _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Something that I should probably point out, while this story is going to be focused on Corrin and Azura, we will see other characters viewpoints from time to time. Also, yes, this is going to be a one-shot collection like I have in the summery. The first bunch of chapters are simply being used to introduce background characters who are important, like Carrion. We have another three to meet, the second of whom will be introduced in the next chapter. 
> 
> Re; Yato-no-kami: The japanese name for the Yato, I’ve seen the idea that Yato is simply the shortened version of the name.
> 
> Re; Draconian Urges: I don't really have Corrin losing too much control. So long as he holds onto his Dragonstone his urges are kept in check, though he does have a tendency towards being forceful and violent at times. (His somewhat sardonic nature is actually a by product of his draconic urges, similar to his impressive anger which is normally well kept in check.) However, Azura calms him. Their relationship in this regard is something that I hope to eventually touch upon after a few more cast members are introduced.
> 
> Re; Consolation Prize: This will be explained in much greater detail later. The gist of it though is while Corrin dealt Anankos a fatal blow, it didn’t kill him immediately, and the dragon could have had Azura killed by the Invisible Soldiers. Obviously it didn’t happen.

**Author's Note:**

> Long story short, the idea behind this AU is if Corrin and Azura were the only survivors of the battle with Anankos. 
> 
> While more will be explained in the story itself, the basic idea is after the war, Corrin and Azura travel to the Outrealm Gate, knowing that there is nothing they can do for the world as they've been branded as traitors to both Hoshido and Nohr and the royals are dead so there's no one to collaborate and confirm their story. Instead, they simply decide to leave, and travel to an entirely different world to try to continue their lives.


End file.
